Itai Mazire
The government has identified Mutendi Farm in Masvingo as a strategic centre for fingerling production, a move expected to reduce costly transportation losses from Harare and accelerate Zimbabwe’s aquaculture development.
Chief Director for Agricultural Development and Advisory Services (ADAS), Mrs Medlinah Magwenzi, announced the proposal after touring the farm’s facilities. She described the farm’s protected dam, which is currently 98 per cent full, as a game-changer for fish production in the southern region.
“This site has the water security and infrastructure to become a regional powerhouse,” said Mrs Magwenzi.
“We are looking at supplying farmers in Masvingo, Manicaland and parts of the Midlands, reducing losses, lowering costs and making quality fingerlings more accessible.”
The farm already supports horticulture, wheat, maize, livestock and macadamia production.
However, officials say its largely untapped aquaculture potential, including cage culture and ongoing fish-stocking initiatives, could significantly boost rural incomes and strengthen food security.
Until now, most fingerlings have been transported from Harare, with many failing to survive the journey. Establishing a local production hub is expected to accelerate fish farming, increase the supply of affordable protein and support the ministry’s aquaculture expansion programme.
“This is not just about fish,” she said. “It is about creating jobs, building resilience and developing a sustainable industry from the ground up.”